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Investment residence (ARI)PortugalEUSchengen

Golden visa Portugal

From €4,50030–60 working days

Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.

Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case.

  • Eligibility review
  • Investment route documents
  • Application filing
Minimum investment
€250,000Checked onsource
Years to citizenship
10 yearsChecked onsource

For non-EU investors who can hold €500,000 in a qualifying fund or Portuguese company for 5 years, or €250,000 in culture, with their family on the same file.

Check your eligibility

Portugal still issues the investment residence permit, but since 7 October 2023 the money has to go into fund units, research, culture or a Portuguese company that creates jobs. We check which route your capital fits, prepare the ARI file and submit it to AIMA.

Updated

Programme status

ChangedResidence permit for investment activity (ARI / Golden Visa, Aliens Act art. 90.º-A)

Updated

What changed on 7 October 2023

Still open, but reformed by the 'Mais Habitação' law (Lei 56/2023, published 06.10.2023, in force the next day): real-estate purchase, real-estate rehabilitation and the EUR 1.5M capital-transfer routes were removed. Remaining routes: fund units, research, culture, company creation/capitalisation with jobs, and 10 jobs. Visa-free entry to apply; managed by AIMA, the agency created by Decreto-Lei 41/2023 to take over SEF's immigration functions (start date not verified here).

Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio — amends the Nationality Law (Lei 37/81)

Lei 56/2023 removed the property purchase, property rehabilitation and €1.5M capital-transfer routes. The fund, research, culture and job-creation routes stayed, so new applications are still accepted through them.

Other Portuguese permits open today

  • PortugalResidence visa for remote work abroad ('digital nomad', Aliens Act art. 88.º(1)/89.º)€3,680/monthChecked on
  • PortugalResidence visa for retirees and people living on own income (D7 / passive income)€920/monthChecked on
  • PortugalEU Blue Card (Aliens Act art. 121.º-A ff.)Not publishedno data in EUR — salary must be at least 1.5x the national average gross annual salary (1.2x in shortage cases under art. 61.º-A(2)); the current euro amount was not verified.Checked on
  • PortugalPermanent residence permit (art. 80.º) / EU long-term resident status (art. 125.º)

All dated changes in PortugalGolden visas in other EU countries

Portugal golden visa in figures

PortugalEUSchengen

Minimum investment
€250,000Checked onsource
Family included
YesChecked onsource
Years to citizenship
10 yearsChecked onsource
Sources behind each figure

Questions we are asked

Closing a company and moving to Portugal: what the ARI changes

The lowest remaining route is €250,000 in artistic production or national cultural heritage; the fund, research and company routes start at €500,000. The answers below follow the order in which owners winding down a business usually ask them.

Can I still buy a property to qualify?

No. Lei 56/2023, in force since 7 October 2023, revoked the €500,000 and €350,000 purchase routes, the €350,000 rehabilitation route and the €1.5M capital transfer. Direct and indirect real-estate investment is excluded, so a fund that buys property does not count either.

What remains: €500,000 in Portuguese non-real-estate investment funds with a maturity of at least 5 years and at least 60% invested in companies headquartered in Portugal; €500,000 in scientific research; €250,000 in culture; €500,000 to set up or recapitalise a Portuguese company; or the creation of 10 jobs, 8 in low-density areas.

Does the company I am closing count?

Only a Portuguese company qualifies, and only if the €500,000 creates 5 permanent jobs, or keeps 10 jobs of which 5 are permanent, for 3 years. A dormant company registered elsewhere earns nothing under the programme; what matters is where the proceeds go after it is wound up.

If you set up a new Portuguese company for this route, its profit is taxed at the rate in the margin for 2026, falling to 18% in 2027 and 17% from 2028. Small and mid-sized companies pay 15% on the first €50,000.

Will the permit make me a Portuguese tax resident?

Not by itself. The permit asks for 7 days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each later year, while tax residence starts at more than 183 days in any 12-month period, or earlier if you keep a home there as your habitual residence.

Once you are resident, personal income tax reaches 48% in the top bracket. The NHR regime has been closed to new applicants since 1 January 2024. Its replacement, IFICI, taxes qualifying employment and self-employment income at 20% for 10 years, but only for listed activities such as research, certified startups and highly qualified jobs, and only if you were not resident in the previous 5 years; holding fund units is not one of them.

When does it lead to permanent residence and citizenship?

Permanent residence is available after 5 years of temporary residence. Naturalisation has required 10 years of legal residence since 19 May 2026, or 7 for EU and Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) nationals; applications already pending on that date keep the former rules.

Who this is not for

  • Buyers who want residence through a flat or a house: that route ended on 7 October 2023.
  • Owners who expect a dormant foreign company to count as the investment: only capital placed in a Portuguese route qualifies.
  • Investors who may need the money back within 5 years: the investment has to be held for that period.
  • Anyone planning around the NHR regime: it no longer accepts new applicants.

How we handle it

We check the fund documentation or company plan against the route conditions, prepare the ARI application and file it with AIMA together with your family members. Our part takes the working days shown in the price line; AIMA sets its own decision time, which our reference does not publish.

What you getEUSchengen

Rights under the investment permit

Eligibility

Who can apply for the ARI

The main test is the route: your capital must sit in one of five remaining investment types for at least 5 years.

Legal basis:Autorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-ALei n.º 56/2023, de 6 de outubro (Mais Habitação) — art. 53.º(d) revokes subparagraphs i), iii) and iv) of art. 3.º(1)(d) of Lei 23/2007Lei n.º 61/2025, de 22 de outubro — amends the Aliens Act (family reunification, qualified job-seeker visa, startup residence)

Main applicant

Minimum investment€250,000Checked onsource

  • Citizen of a country outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland
  • Investment completed through one of the remaining routes before filing
  • Written commitment to keep the investment for at least 5 years
  • At least 7 days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each later year
  • Criminal record certificate from each country of residence
Common reasons for refusal

Family members

Family includedYesChecked onsource

  • Spouse, or an unmarried partner with a de facto union of more than 2 years
  • Children and other dependants named in the family reunification rules
  • Reunification filed together with the ARI, exempt from the 2-year wait introduced on 23 October 2025
  • Portuguese language and constitutional-values training for reunited family, checked at renewal

Fund route

The fund must be non-real-estate, run for at least 5 years and hold at least 60% in companies headquartered in Portugal.

Company route

€500,000 plus 5 permanent jobs, or 10 jobs kept with 5 permanent, for 3 years.

Entry

You can enter visa-free to apply; no prior residence visa is needed.

Who this is not for

  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, who register their residence instead
  • Applicants who can only invest through property

What we check before filing

We read the fund regulations for maturity, the 60% Portuguese-company share and any property exposure, and for the company route we check the job plan against the 3-year condition. A file is not submitted until each point is covered.

Cost

Portugal golden visa cost by family size

Our fee is shown separately from AIMA fees, which our reference does not publish; the investment itself is not a cost. Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case.

FamilyOur fee fromAIMA feeTotal
Single applicant€4,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: AIMA application and card fees are not published in our reference.
Couple€4,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: AIMA application and card fees are not published in our reference.
Couple with two children€4,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: AIMA application and card fees are not published in our reference.

Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.

Government fees are paid to AIMA directly and are not part of our fee.

The €250,000 or €500,000 stays your asset for the 5-year holding period.Remaining routes

Moving capital from a closed company into Portugal?

Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case. We usually reply within one business day.

From €4,50030–60 working days

Get a quote

Process

From route check to residence card

Six steps; the investment is made before we file, not after.

  1. 01We

    Route check

    We check whether your capital, including proceeds from a company you are closing, fits one of the five remaining routes.

    Written route note

  2. 02You

    Investment

    You subscribe the fund units or capitalise the Portuguese company and keep the transfer records.

    Proof of investment

  3. 03You

    Documents

    You order civil and police documents; we mark which need an apostille and a sworn translation.

    Complete document set

  4. 04We

    Filing

    We prepare the ARI application and the family reunification requests and file them with AIMA.

    Filing receipt

  5. 05You

    Biometrics

    You and each family member attend the AIMA appointment in Portugal that we book.

    Biometrics taken

  6. 06AIMA

    Decision

    AIMA reviews the file and issues the residence cards.

    Residence card for each applicant

    What you receive

    • Residence card for you and each family member
    • Copy of the filed ARI application
    • Schedule of minimum-stay days and holding dates
Our part
30–60 working days
AuthorityAIMA, the Portuguese Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum
Not published

Renewal

We file each renewal while the investment is held and the 14-day yearly stay is met.

Check your eligibilityDocument checklist

Risks

Why ARI applications are refused

Most of the reasons below trace back to the 2023 reform or to the 5-year holding rule.

Checked on

Reason for refusalWhat closes itLegal basis
The fund or company has real-estate exposureWe read the fund regulations and company plan for any direct or indirect property investment before you subscribe.€250,000Checked onAutorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-A
Fund maturity under 5 years or less than 60% in Portuguese companiesWe check both figures in the fund documents, not in the marketing sheet.€250,000Checked onAutorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-A
Company route without the required jobsWe check the hiring plan against 5 permanent jobs, or 10 kept with 5 permanent, for 3 years.€250,000Checked onAutorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-A
Partner who cannot prove a union of more than 2 yearsWe list the evidence of cohabitation before the family file is filed.YesChecked onAutorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-A

After the card is issued

  • Withdrawing the investment before 5 years removes the basis for renewal.
  • Fewer than 14 days in Portugal in a year after the first breaks the stay condition.
  • Permanent residence also requires no prison sentence over 1 year in the last 5 years.5 yearsChecked on

Citizenship

From ARI to Portuguese citizenship

Naturalisation takes 10 years of legal residence under the law in force since 19 May 2026.

  1. Permit validityNot published
  2. Years to permanent residence5 yearsChecked onsource
  3. Years to citizenship10 yearsChecked onsource
  • 10 years of legal residence, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals, counted within 12 years (9 for EU and CPLP nationals)
  • Test or certificate of Portuguese language, culture, history and national symbols
  • Knowledge of citizens’ rights and political organisation, and a declaration of adherence to democratic principles
  • Ability to support yourself and no final prison sentence over 3 years for listed serious crimes
  • Applications pending on 19 May 2026 are decided under the former 5-year rule.
Nationality law:Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio — amends the Nationality Law (Lei 37/81)

Changes

Portugal changes since 2023

Updated

Residence permit for investment activity (ARI / Golden Visa, Aliens Act art. 90.º-A)Changed

DateWhat changedApplies toSource
ReformNationality Law amended (Lei Orgânica 1/2026): naturalisation now requires 10 years of legal residence (7 for CPLP/EU nationals) instead of 5, plus language, culture and civics tests; pending applications keep the old rules.For an ARI applicant:An ARI holder now reaches citizenship after 10 years instead of 5, unless already filed.All of PortugalDiário da República
ReformIRC rate cut to 19% for 2026 (18% in 2027, 17% from 2028); SME rate on the first EUR 50,000 down to 15%. Minimum wage raised to EUR 920, lifting the digital nomad threshold to EUR 3,680/month.All of PortugalDiário da República
ReformAliens Act amended (Lei 61/2025): 2-year wait for family reunification (exemptions for ARI, Blue Card, highly qualified), job-seeker visa limited to qualified work, startup residence without prior visa.For an ARI applicant:Your family can join you on the ARI without waiting 2 years.All of PortugalDiário da República
ReformVAT small-business exemption reformed: threshold EUR 15,000 and new cross-border EU exemption scheme (EU turnover up to EUR 100,000).All of PortugalAutoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
ClosureDecree-Law 37-A/2024 abolished the 'manifestação de interesse' route to residence for people already in Portugal (transitional filings closed 31.12.2025).All of PortugalDiário da República
TransitionNHR regime repealed by the 2024 State Budget (Lei 82/2023) with a transitional window for people resident by end-2024 with pre-existing ties; replaced by IFICI (20% flat rate for 10 years on qualifying activities).For an ARI applicant:Moving on an ARI no longer brings the NHR rate; IFICI covers only listed activities.All of PortugalAutoridade Tributária e Aduaneira
ClosureGolden Visa reformed by Lei 56/2023 (Mais Habitação): real estate, rehabilitation and EUR 1.5M capital-transfer routes abolished; fund, research, culture and job-creation routes remain.For an ARI applicant:Property purchases stopped qualifying; the fund, research, culture and company routes remain.All of PortugalDiário da República

Check your eligibilityHow often we check changes

Documents

Documents for the ARI application

Who issues each document and whether it needs an apostille and a Portuguese translation.

Checked on

DocumentIssued byApostilleTranslationWho prepares
Main applicant
PassportYour country of citizenshipNoNoYou provide
Criminal record certificatePolice of each country of residenceYesYesYou provide
Proof of the investmentFund manager or Portuguese bankNoNoWe prepare
Declaration to hold the investment for 5 yearsYou, on the AIMA templateNoNoWe prepare
Application formAIMA templateNoNoWe prepare
Company route
Certificate of the Portuguese companyCommercial registryNoNoWe prepare
Hiring plan and staff recordsThe companyNoNoYou provide
Family members
Marriage and birth certificatesCivil registryYesYesYou provide
Evidence of a de facto unionRegistry or joint recordsYesYesYou provide

Tell us which route you plan; we send the document list for that route.Get a quote

Request

Ask for a Portugal golden visa quote

Name the route you are considering and where the capital comes from. The quote arrives in writing, with our working days and the document list.

Privacy Policy

Your details are used only to answer this request. The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.

We usually reply within one business day.

Legal disclaimer

The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.

Legal disclaimer

FAQ

Portugal golden visa questions

Short answers first; the figures come from the reference cited under Sources.

Status and routes

Is the Portugal golden visa still available in 2026?

Yes, through fund units, research, culture, a Portuguese company with jobs, or 10 new jobs. The property routes were removed on 7 October 2023.

What is the minimum investment for the Portugal golden visa?

€250,000 for artistic production or national cultural heritage. The fund, research and company routes need €500,000.

Money and tax

Can I use the money from closing my company for the golden visa?

Yes, if it is invested in one of the remaining routes and held for 5 years. The closed company itself does not count, and a new Portuguese company qualifies only with €500,000 and 5 permanent jobs for 3 years. Keep the liquidation and transfer records: they show where the funds came from.

Do golden visa holders pay tax in Portugal?

Only once they become tax resident, which happens after more than 183 days in a 12-month period or when a Portuguese home is kept as the habitual residence. The permit’s stay condition is 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each later year.

Residence and family

How long does the Portugal golden visa take?

Our part takes the working days shown in the price line. AIMA’s decision time is not published in our reference, so we do not quote one.

Can my family join me on the golden visa?

Yes. Family reunification can be filed together with the ARI, and ARI families are exempt from the 2-year wait introduced on 23 October 2025.

Sources

Where the figures come from

Laws published in the Diário da República and AIMA and tax authority pages, each with the date we last checked it.

5Sources
SourcePublisherTypeChecked on
Laws and regulations
Lei n.º 56/2023, de 6 de outubro (Mais Habitação) — art. 53.º(d) revokes subparagraphs i), iii) and iv) of art. 3.º(1)(d) of Lei 23/2007Diário da RepúblicaLaws and regulationsChecked on
Lei n.º 61/2025, de 22 de outubro — amends the Aliens Act (family reunification, qualified job-seeker visa, startup residence)Diário da RepúblicaLaws and regulationsChecked on
Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026, de 18 de maio — amends the Nationality Law (Lei 37/81)Diário da RepúblicaLaws and regulationsChecked on
Government sites
Autorização de Residência para Investimento — Art. 90.º-AAIMA — Agência para a Integração, Migrações e AsiloGovernment sitesChecked on
Autorização de residência permanente (art. 80.º)AIMAGovernment sitesChecked on
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Golden Visa Portugal: routes left after 2023 | Clearfile